


may your days be merry and bright

by BelovedCreation



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Captain Swan Secret Santa, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-24
Updated: 2014-12-24
Packaged: 2018-03-02 09:02:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,805
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2806991
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BelovedCreation/pseuds/BelovedCreation
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Henry has a list to make Killian's first Christmas (and Emma's first real Christmas) a special one.</p>
            </blockquote>





	may your days be merry and bright

**Author's Note:**

> A gift for my csss, fairytalelovr!

_7:00-8:00 Get ready, drink lots of hot chocolate_

 

“You’ve got the list?” Henry asks for the millionth time.

Emma only wordlessly holds up the piece of paper (Henry had said something about laminating it until Emma put her foot down) as she takes another sip of her hot chocolate.

“Good,” he grins and takes a gulp of his own drink.

Killian shuffles over to her side of the kitchen’s island and peers over her shoulder, hot breath on her neck and long fingers gripping her waist. “That’s quite the long list, lad. Are you sure we will be able to accomplish everything on it in just one day?”

“Of course we will.” Henry looks affronted. “That’s why we got up so early.”

Emma groans inwardly that their bedroom door was was pounded on an hour ago, just as Killian… Well, Killian was preparing to give her a very _special_ Christmas present of his own.

\--

_8:00-9:00 Snowball fight_

 

Emma holds her breath, feeling a tightness in her chest as she slowly, slowly, _sloooowly_ creeps towards the sizable wall she watched her enemies erect over the course of twenty minutes. Armed with only five snowballs, nestled in the crook of her arm as Henry had been once (she shakes her head to clear the Regina-induced memories. It is still hard to separate her two realities sometimes), Emma may be woefully under-prepared.

She’ll have to settle for the element of surprise.

Popping her head over the wall, she quickly tosses her snowballs towards the two dark-haired figures. “Ha!” she taunts as their faces turn to hers.

Their grins are a just a little too wide for her liking.

“Get her!” Henry hollers and she barely has time to cover her face with her arms before a dozen balls of snow are whizzing toward her.

Maybe she should have spent less time making snow angels and more time crafting an arsenal.

\--

_9:00-10:00 Build a snowman_

 

“Killian, no.”

“Why not, Swan? I think he looks rather... _charming_.”

Emma gives him a look and points at the snowman he and Henry have been meticulously sculpting. “You put the snowman in a plaid shirt, gave him a crown and a sword, and now you’re trying to put on giant ears?” She covers her mouth to hide the smile she can't quite keep from breaking through. “If you make this snowman look any more like my dad you’re going to be un-invited to dinner tonight.”

\--

_10:00-11:00 Go sleddding_

 

“Just hold on, Mom. You’ll be fine!”

Emma’s mitten-covered fingers tighten around the damp rope and she takes another deep breath. Henry looks _awful_ small at the bottom of this hill that has grown _much steeper_ than when she first trekked up it.

“C’mon, love! Sledding is quite the adventure!”

Henry and Killian’s grins are identical and, not for the first time, Emma’s heart squeezes (it is a better feeling than the cold dread in her stomach) and she feels so _lucky_ to have these two. And she thinks that maybe, just maybe, despite all of the fucked-up things that Henry has experienced in the last few years, he will make it out of all this with a semi-normal adolescence.

Unlike her own. Which has left her almost thirty and having never gone sledding before.

With two quick scoots forward, the sled crests the hill and send her hurtling down, down, _down_.

When she reaches the bottom, Emma lets out a whoop and springs to her feet.

“That was a rush!” She picks up the sled and grins at the boys. “I’m doing that again.”

She’s halfway up the hill before Henry tackles her and indigently demands that she wait her turn.

\--

_11:00-12:00 Drink more hot chocolate_

 

“I don’t care what it says on the schedule, Henry, you can’t just have hot chocolate for lunch.”

\--

_12:00-2:00 Watch a Christmas movie_

 

“So what’d ya think?” Emma stretches one of her legs draped across the couch to poke Killian, curled up on the other end.

“It was a strange tale. And I never could understand the concerns of Ralphie's loved ones. I started learning how to use a sword when I was around his age.”

Henry perks up from his prone position on the recliner. “Does that mean I can get a real sword soon?”

Emma glares at Killian, then Henry. “No. You’ll poke your eye out.”

\--

_2:00-3:30 Decorate the tree_

 

“What’s this?” Henry holds up a small green glass ornament of the Statue of Liberty. “You’re not still thinking of going back to New York, are you?”

Emma shakes her head and gently takes it from Henry’s fingers (his hands are getting so _big_ , what happened to that tiny boy that appeared outside of her apartment a few years ago?). “No, but we did have some good memories. I didn’t want to forget about our time in New York.”

She places the decoration on the tree. Its a little sparse, not at all like the trees in the foster homes she lived in. Those were always covered in popsicle sticks and pipe cleaners and origami folded by the sticky fingers of the children who had come and gone. Her foster parents had never cared enough to remove their art-class creations. In their year in New York, Henry and Emma hadn’t gone crazy with decorations. She’d purchased some generic lights and balls. But the faux tree and box of accompanying ornaments are far from reach in an abandoned apartment.

The landlord had to have cleared out the apartment by now, their mementos sold off.

Killian wraps his arm around Emma and she leans into his warmth. “The tree looks magnificent, Swan.”

She smiles and tugs Henry into her arms and the three of them admire their handiwork. “It does look pretty good, huh?”

The tree leans slightly to the left and there are at least three 'Welcome to Storybrooke' ornaments she picked up at the welcome center. But the images of Killian picking Henry up to place the star on the top and Killian's excitement at the strands of brightly-colored lights will stay burned in her mind for years to come.

\--

_3:30-5:00 Make Christmas cookies_

 

“You look so surprised, love.”

Emma closes her mouth. (Was it really hanging open in shock?) “I just didn’t know you were so good with frosting.”

Killian looks up from the small army of gingerbread men surrounding him on the kitchen table. There’s a little king and a tiny queen, a pirate and a milkmaid, a doctor and a cook and a fairy. The flower salesman even has a miniature bouquet of perfect buttercups. Killian gives her a lopsided smirk and mouths, “ _I would be glad to show you just how good I am with frosting_.”

She feels her face turn bright red at images of him licking the sweet, sticky topping off of every inch of skin, creating works of art that he would trace with his tongue. Emma turns quickly to hide her flaming cheeks before Henry looks up from his own gingerbread men.

Emma carefully places the king and queen in a plastic bag to take to her parents’ and files away the knowledge of Killian's steady hands for future use.

\--

_5:00-6:00 Make a gingerbread house_

 

“Okay, that’s just not fair.” Henry slumps further on his chair and gives Killian’s perfect gingerbread house a look of disgust. “I couldn’t make mine look that good in a million years.”

Emma tucks a rogue strand of hair behind her ear and sighs deeply, her own house threatening to fall over any minute. “I’m sorry, Henry, it must be an inherited trait.”

Henry pulls the collapsing roof off of his house and takes a large bite. “That’s okay, Mom,” he mumbles around the treat. “There’s still hope for you and Killian’s kids.”

The pirate makes a horrible coughing noise and Henry looks over in alarm. “Is there something you are not tell me, love?” he chokes out.

Emma shakes her head in bewilderment.

“What?” Henry asks, his brow furrowing. “You guys are gonna have kids some day, right? I mean, that’s what Grandpa and Mary Margaret did and that was a _really_ long time after they had you.” He shrugs his shoulders. “I wouldn’t think it means you don't love me or something.”

She feels her heart swell to three times its normal size and all she can do is stand up and wrap her arms around her brave, selfless, sweet boy. Tears blur her vision and she holds Henry tightly until he mutters an embarrassed “Mo-om” and she has to let go.

Emma gives Killian a quick glance before she sits down again (his eyes appear a bit misty as well) and she looks Henry square in the eye. “I don’t know if Killian and I will have kids. But if we ever did, I hope you know that no one could ever replace you.”

Henry takes another chomp of his gingerbread roof. “On second thought,” he grunts, brown eyes sparkling and sending fine cookie crumbles onto the table, “maybe no more kids. I can barely handle _Killian_ being so good with cookie decorating.”

Killian pulls the roof off of his gorgeous house and bites into it. “Quite right, lad. My family is known for being exceptionally good-looking and talented. It is simply not fair to release such beauty into the world.”

At the same time, both Emma and Henry lean forward and slam their fists down into what remains of Killian’s gingerbread house.

\--

_6:00-6:30 Make paper snowflakes_

 

“I wonder if Elsa can make giant snowflakes that never melt and we could put those in our window instead.”

“Mom, you’re only saying that because your paper snowflakes suck.”

“Shut up.”

\--

_6:30-7:30 Wrap Christmas presents_

“Do you need help with that?” Henry gives Killian a smug look and Emma holds back a smile. Apparently they’ve finally found something that Killian isn’t good at.

Killian grunts in frustration and steps back. Henry pulls the crinkled paper off of the box and crumbles it in a ball. Rolling out some fresh wrapping paper, Henry cuts a straight line and wraps the present with crisp angles and only three pieces of tape.

It is flawless.

“Where’d you learn how to do that?” Emma asks, amazed.

Henry cants his head. “Mom - Regina that is. She always liked the presents under the tree to look good so she taught me how to wrap perfectly.”

Emma silently thanks Regina once again for raising their son so well.

Then she places the large stuffed animal for baby Neal in Henry’s hands. “I guess that makes you the official wrapper, kid.” She pats him on the shoulder. “Good luck.”

\--

_7:30-8:00 Look at Christmas lights_

 

“Slow down, Swan, I can’t see anything if you speed past all of the best homes!”

Emma groans and takes her foot off of the gas, officially going a snail’s pace. “They’re just lights.”

Henry squeaks from the back seat. “Its on the list, Mom. We have to give Killian the full Christmas experience!”

She only rolls her eyes and tries to pretend she is interested in the ten-foot inflatable Santa looming over a sad-looking nativity set.

\--

_8:00pm Christmas dinner at Grandpa and Mary Margaret’s_

 

“I’m so glad you guys came, “ Mary Margaret beams, baby Neal resting in the crook of her arm as she escorts Emma and Killian to the door. “This was a really lovely evening.”

“Thank you for hosting, m’lady,” Killian replies with a winning grin, giving a short bow that would come off as ridiculous coming from anyone but him. Her mother only smiles wider. Must be an Enchanted Forest thing. “The turkey was superb.”

“See you in the morning, kid,” Emma calls out to Henry, who is tucked on the couch under Regina’s arm, engrossed in a new video game.

Regina nods. “Brunch will be at ten. After Henry’s opened his Santa presents.”

“Mo-om,” Henry groans. “I’m too old to believe in Santa.”

“No you’re not.” Regina’s perfectly-manicured hand comes up to comb through Henry’s hair. “You’re eternally 5-years-old in cowboy pajamas waking me up at six on Christmas morning to open your presents."

Mary Margaret's smile grows wistful and Emma thinks her arms tighten around baby Neal.

"They grow up so fast," Regina continues with a sigh.

Her mom's eyes soften. "Tell me about it."

(Especially when an evil curse is involved)

Regina's smile turns into a smirk and her gaze zeroes in on Emma. "Before you know it they move out and shack up with their pirate boyfriends."

"Now, now, your majesty." Killian's arm wraps protectively around her shoulders. "No need to be jealous. You already had your chance back in our world." He winks wickedly and Emma thinks maybe she needs to ask about the exact nature of Regina  _having her chance_.

Regina only scoffs. "Like that would ever happen."

"Okay you two." Mary Margaret holds up her free hand to stop any further bickering, but Emma can tell that they are already done. "Why don't you two get out of here and enjoy your Christmas Eve?"

Emma gives her mother a peck on the cheek. "Goodnight, Mom."

"Goodnight!" Henry calls from the couch.

"Goodnight," Regina echoes next to him. "Emma," her voice drops, "...Killian." Then her voice grows softer and Emma's hopes that Regina can be a real part of their family grows stronger. "Thanks for spending time with Henry today. I can tell he really loved that list of his."

Emma smiles and leans against Killian. "It was our pleasure."

\--

 

“Anything left on that list, love?” Killian whispers, tugging on a curl.

Emma sits up and twists to look at him, leaning back on the arm of the couch and holding her against his chest. “Now we’re on my own list. _11:00 Sit on the couch and enjoy the fire and the tree lights_.”

“Could we pencil in a gift exchange?”

She crawls off of the couch and finds the small package under the tree. Emma hands it to Killian with twinkling eyes. “I suppose there is.”

She watches him open the present with teeth nibbling her bottom lip. When he pulls out the necklace and gives her a gentle smile, she feels relief. _He likes it_. “What a lovely charm.”

Emma reaches forward and rubs her thumb over the raised icon. “Henry and I did a lot of research on the holiday to make this a perfect Christmas Eve. Saint Nicholas is another name for Santa Claus. But he was a real person.” Her eyes meet his jade ones and her heart skips a beat. “Saint Nicholas is the patron saint of gift-giving and children… But he’s also the patron saint of sailors and all who travel by sea.” She takes the necklace from his hand and leans forward, securing it around his neck and running a finger down the chain. “I wanted you to have a little protection from the deities of this world.”

Killian captures her lips with his own and she tastes the gingerbread and eggnog from dinner and the sweetness that is uniquely his. He tugs her on top of him, pressing his hips forward to line up with her center and make her moan at his hardness and anticipation of a night alone in the house.

“What about my present?” she teases, nibbling his soft lips and moving her hips in tiny circles that set off sparks behind her eyelids.

His fingers tangle in her hair. “Have you been a good girl,” he whispers in a husky tone, “or a naughty one?” She feels a shiver run down her spine because _he cannot be real_.

“Naughty,” she moans. “Very, _very_ naughty.”

\--

 

Christmas morning dawns with sunshine and a fresh layer of sparkling white snow. Emma can feel Killian’s smile pressed against her bare shoulder and she sighs in contentment.

“I did have an actual present for you, love,” he mumbles, voice thick with sleep.

“I know. And I bet its perfect.” Her fingers weave with his at her hip. “Just like you.”

Killian gives her a few more Christmas gifts before they arrive at Regina's, Henry surrounded by a mountain of presents and delicious smells wafting from the huge kitchen. She and Killian curl up on a loveseat and listen to Henry excitedly show off his toys and books and clothes.

"So this is what Christmas is about, lad? Gifts and sweets?"

"No." Henry stops and gives Killian a strange look. "Christmas is about family and love."

"Ah." Killian turns to look in her eyes, stopping her heart with the brightness of his blue gaze. He looks back at Henry, eyes even softer. "Then this is a lovely, holiday, lad. A lovely holiday indeed."

 


End file.
